The Question of Ritual Cannibalism at Grotta Guattari [and Comments and Replies]

Late Pleistocene human remains from Wezmeh Cave, western Iran

“…Carnivore consumption of human remains in the Late Pleistocene has been documented for Neandertals [e.g., Guattari (Giacobini, 1990-91;White and Toth, 1991), Rochelot (Tournepiche et al, 1996), Rochers-de-Villeneuve , Les Pradelles (Mann et al, 2005), and Oliveira ], and carnivore activity may well account for the fragmentary condition of other late archaic and early modern humans (cf., Trinkaus et al, 2000). In addition, there are numerous cases of later Paleolithic sites, with or without human remains, in which the human occupations were variably intense and the sites also served as large carnivore dens, (e.g.…”

Electron Spin Resonance Dating and the Evolution of Modern Humans

“…The sediments of GO-GI have been attributed to a cold phase, correlated to 'Wurm I1 (old usage)', and there is now little evidence that layers G4-G5 contained a warmer fauna, including Hippopotamus, as previously claimed (Stiner 199 1). There are few, if any, artefacts associated with layer GO, which is now interpreted as predominantly the result of occupation by the hyaena, Crocuta crocuta (Stiner 1991;White and Toth 1991). However, the lower deposits (GlLG2, G4-G5) contain two rather different artefact assemblages of the Pontinian Mousterian (Kuhn 199 I).…”

The Evolution of Imagination: An Archaeological Perspective

“…Nevertheless, it is the case that there are no convincing examples of Neanderthal ritual. Previous claims of cannibalistic activity and arrangement of skulls on the floor of Grotta Guttari, Italy, have been shown to be no more than hyena behavior (White and Toth 1991;Stiner 1994 alleged "figurine" found at Berekhat Ram, Israel, and dating from ca. 250,000 years ago.…”